Method and apparatus for the filling of a slurry sump

Abstract

A method for filling an elongated sump which has a plurality of diverter gates emptying into the sump is accomplished by dividing the sump into a plurality of adjacent zones along each side of the sump and adding slurry in each of the zones in sequential order in a direction related to the direction of movement of a dredge removing material from the sump. The sequencing automatically skips the zone where the dredge is removing material and empties it during that period of time in the sequence just previously emptied.

What we claim is: 
     
       1. Method for filling an elongated sump having first and second side walls, ends and a bottom, said sump adapted for filling with a slurry of water and mineral and having a plurality of spaced slurry inlets along each of said side walls and a dredge mounted for movement along the length of said sump and positioned to traverse the length along one side wall, rotate to a location adjacent said remaining side wall, traverse said length of said remaining side wall and rotate to the original position, an improvement in adding slurry to said sump comprising: (a) dividing said sump into a plurality of adjacent zones along said first side wall;   (b) dividing said sump into a second plurality of zones along said second side wall;   (c) adding slurry in each of said first zones in sequential order in a direction related to the direction of movement of said dredge adjacent said first side wall;   (d) adding slurry in each of said second zones in sequential order in a direction related to the direction of movement of said dredge when it is moving adjacent said second side wall;   (e) sequencing the addition of slurry into any of said first or second zones when said individual zone is occupied by said dredge by adding slurry to the zone adjacent said occupied zone which adjacent zone was just previously occupied by said dredge.   
     
     
       2. Method as described in claim 1 wherein said slurry is added to said sump in said first or second zones in a sequence which is in the same direction as the movement of said dredge. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus for controlling the addition of slurry to an elongated sump having a longitudinal axis and first and second side walls, ends and a bottom; a dredge for removing slurry from said sump, said dredge mounted for movement parallel and adjacent to said first side wall until reaching one end of said sump, rotation to a position adjacent said second side wall, movement parallel to said adjacent said second side wall until reaching said remaining end, and rotation to the original position; apparatus for adding slurry to said sump comprising means for mounting a plurality of slurry inputs along the first and second side walls of said sump, said slurry inputs spaced to form adjacent zones along said first and second side walls and said longitudinal axis; means connecting said inputs to a source of slurry including diverter means each having a diverter control means, coupling said connecting means to said slurry inputs for selectively discharging said slurry at said connected input or a subsequent slurry input; means for sequentially discharging slurry from said inputs on a predetermined time basis such that each adjacent zone along said first or second side wall is sequentially filled with slurry from said inputs; means for determining the zone where said dredge is removing slurry; means responsive to said determining means for operating said diverter control means in a manner to direct said slurry to an input for a zone immediately preceding the said zone where said dredge is operating. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus as described in claim 3 wherein said means for determining the zone when said dredge is removing slurry comprises switch means mounted at the boundary between each of said zones. 
     
     
       5. Apparatus for filling an elongated sump having first and second side walls, ends and a bottom, said sump adapted to be filled with a slurry, a dredge for removing slurry from said sump, said dredge mounted to move parallel and adjacent to each side, apparatus for adding slurry to said sump from a remote source means comprising: (a) slurry input means spaced along each of said first and second side walls;   (b) diverter means selectively coupling said slurry input means either to said remote source means or to a next succeeding slurry input means;   (c) diverter control means for sequentially coupling said remote source means on a predetermined time basis to each adjacent slurry input means;   (d) dredge position sensing means;   (e) processing means coupled to said dredge position sensing means and said diverter control means for determining the position of said dredge and controlling the sequencing of said diverter control means to cause the diverter means to couple the slurry from said remote source to a slurry input means immediately preceding the slurry input means in the region of said dredge.   
     
     
       6. Apparatus as described in claim 5 wherein said remote source means comprises first and second locations and wherein said first location is coupled to the slurry input means along said first side and said second location is coupled to the slurry input means along said second side. 
     
     
       7. Apparatus as described in claim 5 wherein said sump is divided into zones and wherein each slurry input means is mounted centrally in each zone. 
     
     
       8. Apparatus as described in claim 7 wherein each zone is adjacent each other and an axial laying longitudinally along said sump. 
     
     
       9. Apparatus as described in claim 8 wherein a region is left empty of slurry to provide a start-up location for said dredge. 
     
     
       10. Apparatus as described in claim 7 or 8 wherein said position sensing means comprises a switch at the boundary of each zone which is actuated by the movement of said dredge. 
     
     
       11. Apparatus as described in claim 5, 6, 7 or 8 wherein each of said diverter means includes a diverter position sensing means coupled to said processing means to feed back to said process means a response signal related to the operation of said diverter means. 
     
     
       12. Apparatus for controlling the level of slurry in an elongated sump having a longitudinal axis, first and second side walls, ends and a bottom, said apparatus comprising: (a) dredge for removing slurry from said sump, said dredge mounted for movement parallel and adjacent to said first side wall until reaching one end of said sump, rotation to a position adjacent said second side wall, movement parallel and adjacent to said second side wall until reaching said other end of said sump, and rotation to the original position;   (b) a plurality of slurry inputs along the first and second side walls of said sump, said slurry inputs spaced to form adjacent zones along said first and second side walls and said longitudinal axis;   (c) slurry input control means for selectively discharging slurry from one of said slurry inputs;   (d) means for sequentially discharging slurry from said inputs on a predetermined time basis such that each adjacent zone along said first or second side wall is sequentially filled with slurry from said inputs;   (e) means for determining the zone where said dredge is removing slurry; and   (f) means responsive to said determining means for operating said slurry input control means in a manner to direct said slurry to an input for a zone immediately preceding the said zone where said dredge is operating during the time sequence when said slurry input control means would be discharging slurry from said input to the zone where said dredge is operating.